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nethrafotos (376) 2005-12-13 23:35

Welcome to TE. It is unfortunate that the pre-islamic history was destroyed in Afghanistan.


From: Wikipedia

The Buddhas of Bamiyan were two monumental statues of standing Buddhas carved into the side of a cliff in the Bamiyan valley of central Afghanistan, situated 230 km northwest of Kabul at an altitude of 2500 meters. Most likely built in the fifth or sixth centuries, the statues represented a classic blending of Greek and Buddhist art.

Bamiyan is one of the thirty-four provinces of Afghanistan. It is in the centre of the country. Its capital city is also called Bamiyan. Bamiyan city is the largest city in the Hazarajat region of Afghanistan, and is the cultural capital of the Hazara ethnic group that predominates in the area.

In antiquity, central Afghanistan was strategically placed to thrive from the Silk Road caravans which criss-crossed the region trading between the Roman Empire, China and India. Bamiyan was a stopping off point for many travellers. It was here where elements of Greek, Persian and Buddhist art were combined into a unique classical style, known as Greco-Buddhist art.

Bamiyan was the site of an early Buddhist monastery. Many statues of Buddha are carved into the sides of cliffs facing Bamiyan city. The two most prominent of these statues were standing Buddhas, measuring 55 and 37 meters high respectively, that were the largest examples of standing Buddha carvings in the world. They were cultural landmarks for many years and are listed among UNESCO's World Heritage Sites. In March 2001 the Taliban government decreed that the statues were idolatrous and ordered them to be demolished with anti-aircraft artillery and explosives.

Luko (13880) 2005-12-19 10:34

yep... here's the same before. Before stupidity spread out all over the country. Before stubborness and intolerance was gloriously raised at its peak level by the silly taliban regime.

When I went to Afghanistan in 79, I traveled through Bamiyan and Northern regions, I was amazed by Afghan people hospitality and gentleness, although the country was already full of russian military men and war was beginning, I never felt threatened : what happened then? what has gone crazy in some minds?

By a strange twist of the Internet, there's a and advertisment on the left hand side of my screen which says "Cdt Massoud : the story of Afghanistan"... I wish all of them were still standing nowadays.